at once i knew (i was not magnificent)
by snowyseas
Summary: Lucy is pregnant and the journey she goes through for 9 months is made easier by Natsu's attentiveness. Future fanfic, which is why he's slightly more mature. [NaLu]
1. Chapter 1

For tumblr user mrseucliffex's birthay! Happy birthday bbu :* oh also this original one-shot comes in 3 parts because I have a pet peeve about my one-shots being too long nowadays because I think no one ever reads them lmao. My internet history now has "pregnancy week by week" and if anyone looks through my history before I can manage tod elete it, I will not have a good explanation because I can guarantee they won't believe me. -shina

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**OCTOBER**

Stress wasn't usually a part of Lucy's personality unless she was out on a job, but Natsu couldn't help but think that something was bothering her. When she picked up her purse before she left home, she always dropped it on the floor, and then she would sigh in frustration. When she thought Natsu wasn't home, she would run to the drug store and come back with a bag full of items she later wouldn't let him see. Recently, she went on jobs alone, and even though she would come back within the same day she _took_ them, Natsu couldn't comprehend why she would even consider going without him and Happy.

It was a Monday afternoon when he waited for her in their living room. Normally, he would have been on a mission with her, but because of her sudden desire to be alone, he'd be with either Erza or Gray. This time, although it killed his inner child, he passed up on another S-rank job, because it was just about impossible for him to focus on a job when his wife was acting up.

The door creaked open and when he saw her face, he couldn't recall her ever looking as distressed as she did now. She gently slipped out of her boots and coat, hanging it properly on their coat rack. Sighing, she began walking towards the bathroom. Natsu cleared his throat.

"Oh my _god_! Natsu, what are you doing home?" she asked. "You scared me!"

"There wasn't a job I felt like doing," he answered.

"That's not very like you," she laughed nervously.

"You not wanting to come on missions with me is what's not very like you," he said, his voice low.

The air around them became tense when Lucy didn't speak, but she looked at the hardwood floors instead. She held a brown paper bag in her hands tightly and Natsu was beginning to get more than a little upset. Her fingers curled around the material when Natsu took a few steps forward. She was hiding something.

"What's in the bag?" he asked.

"Just some girl stuff."

"Can I see?"

"I'd rather you not."

They stared at each other for what felt like years. They were searching for something in the other person, perhaps a hidden truth, perhaps anger, or perhaps even some form of a resolution. Lucy opened her mouth and spoke, her voice quieter than Natsu had ever heard. It made his bones chill.

"Natsu," she whispered, "just _trust_ me, okay?"

"Trust you?" He ran his hands through his hair shakily, anger boiling inside him. "You're keeping things from me, Lucy. You've never kept things from me and all of a sudden you're tiptoeing around me!"

"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed, her voice tinged with hurt.

"I trust you with anything, Lucy! Why can't you trust me?"

Lucy's widened eyes slowly closed and she sighed. Taking a few steps forward, she made sure she was just inches away from Natsu and she leaned her head against his chest. He couldn't help but think she was trying to listen to his heart, which at this point, was slowing in its beats when she touched him, when he smelled her. His expression softened.

"Give me a few minutes, okay? I'll tell you in a few minutes."

With uncertainty, he watched her close the bathroom door behind her. Sitting upon the sofa once more, he held his head in his hands. At times, Lucy was known to keep things to herself, but this thing that was so important that it had to wait, made him feel anxious. Possibly the most anxious he's been in the last year, since he married her.

As promised, a few minutes passed, and Natsu heard the door open. He lifted his head, his eyes, and looked at the blond-haired woman, who reminded him so much of an image of love and purity and home. A small smile was on her face, and it was warm, loving, and Natsu was reminded of why he fell in love with her.

"Natsu," she whispered, "I'm pregnant."

The room was silent. The words replayed in his head and he stood up, thinking that it might help the processing faster if he did. Lucy's eyes filled with tears as she ran towards him and his open arms. They laughed and he kissed her face and her forehead, slowly and finally setting on her lips. Her arms wrapped around his waist and they held each other in bliss. He whispered he loved her into her hair and she felt as though her heart was about to burst through her chest.

Grabbing their coats, they didn't even consider calling the guild through their house phone. Without warning when they stepped outside, Natsu pulled Lucy onto his back gently and he ran for the both of them, her laughter filling his ears, and his heart swelled at the thought that he loved her more than she could understand.

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**NOVEMBER**

"It's starting to get cold," Lucy mumbled as she walked out of their bedroom. "Where's Erza?"

"On her way. Wendy's coming, too."

Nodding, Lucy wrapped a blanket around her tightly and walked to the kitchen, opening the fridge. She pulled out ham slices and cheese, setting it on the counter. Natsu watched as she reached for the mustard and instead of the usual lean bread she went for, she pulled out the sandwich bread that they served at Subway. His eyes widened when she slabbed on more ham than she usually ate. She leaned against the counter, sighing.

"Everything okay?" Natsu asked, his tone light.

"Do we have ice cream?"

He blinked, astonished. Even he didn't eat them together.

"Aren't you eating a little too much?" he asked.

Her head snapped up to glare at him and her expression was furious. She slammed a hand onto the marble.

"Natsu," she growled, "are you calling me _fat_?"

"What? _No_! I just think -"

"I want to eat this big-ass sandwich and some ice cream." She ground her teeth together and moved towards the fridge again, but didn't take her eyes off him. "Is there something _wrong_ with that?"

"No, definitely not."

Hair standing on its ends, Natsu watched as she finally looked away from him and opened the fridge once more. She searched in the bottom drawers and when she stopped, Natsu could hear her whimpering. He stood up and walked towards her, his footsteps light.

"What's wrong, Lucy?"

"We're out of chocolate ice cream," she said, her voice quiet.

"Do you want me to get some?"

Standing up, Lucy stared at her husband with wide eyes. She pulled him into her arms and he stroked her hair. Natsu had began reading books about pregnancy (thanks to Erza and Mirajane), and he was fully aware that mood swings were common around the sixth week. They were actually full-blown, and a woman's hormones were out of whack and they weren't able to necessarily _control_ their emotions. He knew these things, and yet, he felt somewhat afraid of the woman he loved.

"No," she finally answered, "I'll just call Erza to buy some. She knows the best ones."

"And I don't?"

"You don't like chocolate ice cream as much as I do. Your taste is different than mine."

Dismissing the matter by making a face, Natsu moved towards the fridge himself for his own lunch. Ever since they got married, Lucy taught him how to cook simple meals for when she wasn't home and he needed something to eat. He remembered watching her cook and he recalled the amazement he felt when he took that first bite. Lucy knew it, but he never stopped complimenting her on her cooking: she was a natural.

"Say, Lucy," he said, "do you want me to cook us lunch and you can have the sandwich after?"

"Hmm? Why?" she asked.

"I just want you to taste my cooking."

"You always overburn your food," she chuckled. Natsu couldn't help but grin at the color in her cheeks.

"You can watch me cook and tell me if I'm doing it wrong."

Nodding, Lucy pulled up a stool and set it in the corner of their kitchen, but near enough to their stove. Her long fingers reached for the cordless phone near the wall and she dialed Erza's number. She spoke only for a few seconds, but it was polite and kind, and Natsu was more than glad that so far, her mood swings hadn't caused her to have hostile behavior. Knowing her, these mood swings would only be really bad if she felt uncomfortable, and though at times that was unavoidable, Natsu made a note to make sure to be extra attentive. He'd need to read more pregnancy books, of course.

"Okay, do you want omelette rice or simple fried rice?" he asked as he started up the stove.

"Fried rice, definitely!"

Surprisingly, Lucy didn't instruct Natsu too much while he was cooking. Perhaps it was because she genuinely thought he was doing fine, or maybe it was the fact that she was too hungry to care about how he cooked. She merely wanted to eat.

"Natsu?" she said as she handed him two plates.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

The expression on Lucy's face was calm and content. She smiled at him sweetly and wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. She sniffled and looked at the pan filled with rice. Natsu grinned as he filled their plates, leaving extra for her. Placing the plates on the counter, he reached above her for mugs and swiftly kissed her head before he walked towards the hot water dispenser on the opposite side of the room.

"Should we eat by the TV?" she asked.

"Up to you," he replied warmly.

"We can watch The Seventy!"

At that, Natsu smiled at her widely. She never wanted to watch any of the TV shows he liked, merely because she complained that they were too much for her. Emotionally, mostly. Carrying the plates in both her hands, Natsu couldn't help but chuckle when the blanket fell off her shoulders and onto the ground. He held both mugs in one hand and picked up the thick blanket with the other, then pressed up close to her after he handed her the blanket.

"Don't you want some of this?" she asked absentmindedly, holding out the quilt.

He waited for her to look at him before he gave her a look.

"Oh," she laughed, "right."

"So, what episode do you want to watch? The latest one or one that you haven't seen?"

"The latest one, duh!"

She snuggled into her blanket and moved closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder. He rested his head upon hers as he switched the channels, feeling incredibly at peace. Gobbling up her food rather quickly, Lucy reached for the phone next to her and began dialing Erza's number again. Smiling as she whined on the phone, Natsu couldn't help but to push some of his food onto her plate.

It was going to be a long night, and Natsu was confident that they would run out of ingredients and food soon enough.

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**DECEMBER**

For the past few weeks, Lucy's spirits were high. She hummed her favorite song around the house as she cooked, and she even took walks in the morning while Natsu still slept. Although he was partially expecting her mood swings to get worse, she seemed to have them under control for the most part. She never yelled at him and she never got cross with anyone else, as well. She tried her best to be patient and when she couldn't, she would always apologize after. It was almost as though she wasn't even pregnant. He couldn't figure out why until she lifted his hands to touch her face.

"It's so _soft_!" she squealed.

"Your face has always been soft."

She laughed.

"But right now it's _especially_ soft! No blemishes, no pimples!"

Chuckling, Natsu wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked along the banks of the river. The city was bustling with people, though it wasn't congested like it normally was. Lucy's hands were on her stomach and her expression changed, indicating discomfort. Natsu stopped, causing her to look up at him curiously.

"Are you in pain?"

"The book said I should be feeling bloated by this time: that's probably what it is."

"Do you want to sit for a bit?"

She blinked slowly, looking around.

"Where?"

Without answering, Natsu pulled her hand towards the river, where an abundance of boats floated, waiting for customers who wanted a romantic night cruise along the waters. He hated anything that had to do with vehicles, and he definitely considered a boat to be a vehicle of sorts. When they were about to step in, Lucy tugged at his hand.

"We don't have to do this, you'll get sick," she said.

"It's okay," he answered, "I'll put up with it."

As soon as they started rowing, the nausea burned up in his throat and he leaned over the boat, waiting for the contents of his stomach to empty. Like many times before, Lucy's fingers carded through his soft hair, rubbing at his scalp. She was gentle and he vaguely felt her body moving closer to his. Lifting his head, he saw her eyes and they were grateful, warm, and understanding. She gently lifted his head and he allowed her to guide him onto her lap. She smiled wider.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're saying that a lot these days," he said.

"Of course, I'm very grateful. Now, it's just a matter of reciprocating."

He was speechless as she stroked his face, his heart settled into his chest when her eyes traced the lines of his features, her fingers following suit. Placing a hand over one of hers, he smiled at her warmly. He couldn't hear the chatter of the people nor the other boats that passed by. All he could see was her and the stars behind her, and all he heard was his heartbeat, and if he listened close enough, he could hear hers, too.

"Thank you," he whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

I went without 36 hours of sleep and then I passed out and woke up in the middle of the night. So I decided this would be a perfect time to continue, aha. I also got lazy to look up those week-by-week pregnancy websites so I'm just playing by ear and assuming here based on what I know ^^ - shina

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**JANUARY**

The first spout of intense nausea came suddenly while they were having dinner with everyone at the guild. They had been eating grilled fish a la Mirajane, talking about how the younger generation of Fairy Tail were growing into fine young people. Within Lucy's first bite, the shape of her mouth contracted as though she had bitten into sour fruit and before anyone could ask her what was wrong, she was running to the restroom. The room was silent as they listened to her hurling, and when they thought it would end like it normally did during the first two months of her pregnancy, her gagging just became worse.

"Is it because of the fish?" Erza mused.

"But she's eaten fish for the last week or so and seemed fine," Levy retorted.

"I grilled it properly too, because I was worried she'd feel nauseous," Mirajane said, her tone apprehensive.

Natsu turned towards the restroom where his best friend was hurling her stomach out, and he stood up to comfort her. Just as he took a few steps forward, Wendy touched his arm and wore an encouraging smile on her face.

"You look tired, Natsu-san. Let me handle it."

He blinked a few times in uncertainty as he looked between the teenager's face and the path to the restroom. Shaking his head, he patted her shoulders and walked forward with a head held high, the whispers of his guild members behind him. They weren't bad mouthing him, he knew. They were _praising_ him and he was grateful for all of them for being supportive, for _always_ being supportive.

"Lucy?" he said when he entered the door.

"Ugh," she groaned from one of the stalls. Natsu opened the door gently and she was leaning over the bowl, trying to hold all her hair at the nape of her neck.

"You okay?" he asked, though he knew the answer.

"I wasn't expecting to feel sick. I already threw up this morning."

"It's okay, it's normal."

"No, but everyone is out there probably thinking I'm rude."

"Lucy," he chuckled, "you know that the guild doesn't care about stuff like that. You know they love you."

A noise that sounded like a tiny laugh left her lips and she was hurling again. With his big, warm hands, he reached for her hair and combed his fingers through it, from the tips to the ends, then holding it at her nape. He rubbed her back in an attempt to get warmth to spread throughout her body. His thick fingers rubbed circles at her waist, massaging her as she panted and tried to regain her strength.

Natsu grabbed wet paper towels and helped to wipe her face as she flushed the toilet several times. He helped her to stand up and held her waist as they slowly walked back to the dining hall, their friends waiting for them patiently. Levy and Erza ran to Lucy, their expressions worried even when the blonde woman smiled and waved them off, telling them she was alright. She moved one of her hands to rest on Natsu's arm around her but she continued speaking to the two women before her. Natsu smiled, more than happy that she chose _him_ to trust, she chose _him_ to rely on.

He loved her with a ferocity he could no longer understand, and the thought didn't scare him at all. Just like he would catch her when she fell, she would catch him, too. That was more than enough for him.

"Hey," the woman whispered when no one was listening, "do you wanna stay and finish eating?"

"Not if you're not feeling well."

"I'm okay."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yeah but," she said, her voice low, "let's do something when we go back okay?"

"What do you mean?"

Her cheeks were rosy when she looked up at him, and though he didn't quite know what she was asking from him, his heart was thumping in his chest. He stared at her face long enough for her to start laughing, pulling smiles out of the ones who were close enough to hear her.

"Just be with each other and spend time," she answered, "I've missed you."

Sometimes when people talked about someone they loved in their lives, Natsu would hear about how even while that person was standing right there next to you, you could yearn for them with every fiber of your being. He thought this as he watched Lucy's face, filled with happiness and a contentedness that spoke volumes when he carded his fingers through her hair.

"Okay," he replied, "whatever you want."

"We're bringing Happy, too," she laughed.

"I'm sure he'll love to hear that, but are you sure? We haven't cleaned up his room."

"He can sleep with us," Lucy smiled widely as she spoke.

They eventually said their goodbyes and see you tomorrows, and with just a wave, Lucy willed Happy to come with them. Walking slowly in town at night after all the shops had closed was one of her favorite things to do. She did it less ever since she became pregnant due to protests from her husband, but when he was there with her, he couldn't argue because he would definitely be there to protect her if anything happened. Happy flew alongside Lucy and they spoke with voices that were so quiet, it almost seemed unlike them.

When Lucy reached for her swelling belly and stroked it as she spoke, Happy's eyes softened. He watched Lucy with a reverence, a love that was very different than how Natsu looked at her, but it was love all the same. Natsu reached for her hand and squeezed tenderly, causing her to look at him in curiosity. Letting a wide grin to spread across his face, Lucy spewed about how he was embarrassing her in front of Happy. They all laughed and continued walking away from home and towards the inner parts of the town where they knew only one family restaurant was open.

It felt nostalgic and most certainly like home.

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**FEBRUARY**

"It's the fifth month," Erza said as she drank from her glass, "have you two chosen a name yet?"

Without even having to look at each other, Natsu and Lucy blinked a few times in synchronization, their minds gone absolutely blank. Throughout the previous half of her pregnancy, she had been so preoccupied with just making sure the child inside her was healthy, that she had almost _completely_ forgotten that it would be a person, soon enough.

"Uh, well," she said, "it didn't really cross our minds."

"How does something like that _not_ cross your minds?"

"We were just trying to make sure both the baby and I were healthy," Lucy laughed.

"Well," Erza sighed, "maybe you should think of some! Have options."

As though it was her cue, Erza stood and left the two alone at the guild's dining table. Looking over at the pink-haired man, Lucy saw the thoughtfulness in the scrunch of his brow. If he had been thinking about names, he certainly hadn't mentioned it to her.

"Do you have anything in mind?" she asked.

"I only thought about boy names," he said.

"Lay them on me."

Hesitating at first, Natsu rubbed the back of his neck before he took a deep breath and looked at her. He danced around the subject, claiming it wasn't a good enough name for her, that she might not like it, but Lucy pushed on. This was his child too, of _course_ he was allowed to give his input.

"If our kid turns out to be a boy, then… Igneel."

Bracing himself for her criticism, Natsu was more than surprised when Lucy hummed and seemed to give it serious thought. She tapped her chin with her index finger as she thought and then when he was certain she would say no, she gave him a wide smile.

"It's a little strange to name a human child that, but I'll take it," she said.

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Her eyes were pools of understanding as she regarded him, watching his movements closely. "I know that name means a lot to you. Anyone who loves you knows that."

"What about you, though? Don't you have any guys' names you want to pool in?"

"Lucius," she said.

"Is that because that's similar to your name?"

She laughed.

"I didn't even think of that, but no! It's just because it's a strong name," she said.

Natsu watched her face and smiled. Clearly, things would go differently if they had a daughter instead of a son.

"Any girl names?" he said.

"That might take some thinking," she said quietly.

Although his curiosity was killing him, he knew better than to push a pregnant woman, especially when it came to things that required a lot of thought. They went about the rest of their day as per usual, with Mirajane offering Lucy some herbal tea to help with cramps in her waist and her ankles. Gray and Juvia approached them and gifted them another pregnancy book - but it had more to do with how to be a parent as opposed to how to handle the pregnancy. Lucy cried at that, so moved by the gesture that she couldn't help herself.

Without having been asked, Happy followed them around and stuck by Natsu's side this time, asking about how Lucy was doing. Despite being the man's absolute best friend, Happy wasn't around them as much since they were all older, all wiser. He went on jobs with them often, but lately he had been going with Wendy, Carla, and Romeo, simply trying to fill up his time. When Natsu was younger, this would have made him feel a little left out, but he understood that as long as they didn't allow their friendship to rip apart, they would be fine.

"Lucy," Happy said when they reached their home, "I got you something."

"Oh, Happy! You didn't have to," she replied, smiling.

"I know, but I saw it and thought it was a good gift. Wendy said so, too!"

Reaching behind him to pull off his sack, Happy untied it quickly and pulled out a stuffed animal. A stuffed fish, actually. He walked over to the blonde on his tiny feet and flew up to meet her eyes that were brimmed with tears. With his paws barely being able to hold the plushie properly, he offered it to Lucy and the room was silent.

"I saw it at a toy shop while I was on a job," he said, "and I wanted you to have this."

"Happy…" she whispered.

"The baby already has their first sleep buddy!" Happy said as he rubbed the back of his head, a habit he picked up from Natsu.

Gently, Lucy pulled the cat closer to her and kissed the top of his head, the tears still threatening to spill down her cheeks. Natsu reached out for the both of them and wrapped his arms around them, hugging them tight. They laughed every now and then, the slow settle of nostalgia filling the cups of their hearts to the brim, and it almost felt like no time had passed at all.

No one had grown up.

No one had grown wiser.

No one had gotten older.

"I know what we should name the baby," Lucy whispered when they broke apart.

Natsu and Happy watched her face that had been crying and was now slowly spreading into a smile. She took a few deep breaths and took one step forward, placing her hands on either side of her husband's face. Her thumbs rubbed circles in the apples of his cheeks and her eyes softened.

"Ohana," she whispered.

"Ohana?"

"It's Hawaiian for 'family.'"

"It also -"

"Means flower, I know."

He couldn't take his eyes off her, even when her hands moved to his back and pulled him closer to her. Leaning down, he kissed the tip of her nose, then the apples of her cheeks. They giggled.

"I love it," he whispered against her ear.

Natsu wasn't sure when Happy managed to escape their embrace, but he knew the cat had pressed the play button on their stereo, and surely enough, their favorite song was playing. Taking Lucy's hands in his, they swayed slowly to the rhythm and spoke in hushed voices. Her fingers tugged gently at the hairs on the nape of his neck and she allowed her eyes to flutter. Feeling as though he was trembling, he pressed his lips against her soft forehead, looking for solace, looking for parts of her - all of her - to keep him grounded.

"Ohana and Igneel it is, then," she whispered, chuckling.

Little by little, he felt her heart coming closer, opening further, revealing things about her that he knew existed, but could never understand. She was greater than he anticipated, she was much more beautiful than anyone else could ever understand. He held her face and looked at her eyes, feeling and knowing in his heart that _this_, with her, was where he belonged.

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**MARCH**

It was sunset in Magnolia when they were coming back from a simple job that wasn't too far from home. Happy had tagged along, of course, and the entire way home, he seemed uneasy. Natsu tried pulling something out of him, but Happy kept dismissing it as nothing, that it was probably just his animal senses going off. The more they walked, the more Happy's ears twitched. Something was definitely wrong, though Natsu wasn't one to say so when Lucy was huffing and puffing from fatigue.

"Are you guys in the mood for ice tea?" she asked when they passed by the guild.

"Are you sure?" Happy said.

"Yeah, why not?"

Twiddling with his paws, Happy looked between their home and the guild before he nodded and flew into the guild ahead of them and seemingly disappeared the moment he entered. Natsu held onto her hand and squeezed, reassuring her and reminding her to tell him if something was wrong. Though he didn't have the same senses as Happy, he still had his own and the cat had been right - something was different.

"My stomach feels strange," Lucy mused.

"Are you alright?" Mirajane piped up when she placed a glass of iced tea before the blonde.

"It's the sixth month… It's probably just my body -"

The woman stopped speaking and her hands flew to her stomach, her eyes widening. Whatever plate that Natsu was holding in his hands, he dropped it and it fell to the stone floor with a crash, the glass breaking. The dining hall filled with silence as Lucy's eyes filled with tears, and while Natsu and Mirajane began to become apprehensive, the blonde woman chose that moment to let out a laugh.

"Lucy?" Natsu said, his voice shaky.

"It kicked."

"_What_?" he screamed, his hands reaching for her stomach.

Pressing his ear against her belly, Natsu listened for his child's tiny feet kicking against the walls of his mother's stomach. The man laughed with glee as tears filled his eyes. Lucy threaded her fingers through his hair, her own laughter following his. Looking up at her, Natsu could still hear their child kicking, and he noted immediately that even before being officially born, the infant was active. They smiled at each other just as a camera flash went off.

"Mira!" Natsu scolded.

"You'll thank me later," she smiled sweetly as she pulled the photo from the camera, shaking it a few times before letting it to sit and properly develop on the counter.

"I can't believe it," Lucy whispered, her voice jubilant.

"We'll be parents soon enough," Natsu replied.

"We'll be great."

With a loving stroke to her stomach, they both stayed that way until their friends filled the hall, their questions directed at Mirajane, who had been watching them from behind the counter. Without answering, she lifted the photo she took and simultaneously, the entire guild smiled and one by one, they asked Lucy if they could feel her stomach the next time the baby kicked. As though on purpose, the baby began kicking and Lucy giggled, asking Levy to feel first.

Already, the child was accepted as a member of Fairy Tail, and for the first time in years since she joined the guild, Lucy remembered what acceptance and unconditional love was.


	3. Chapter 3

I realize this is a little shorter than the other two parts, but I think that's better heh. The final part to this mini-fanfic! Please review! - shina

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**APRIL**

Natsu had never felt more afraid of Lucy than in her seventh month of pregnancy. Although she tried her best to be patient with people she interacted with, there were instances where she would snap harshly and then she would apologize for being moody. Of course, people understood that her emotions weren't under her control, though they still walked on eggshells around her. On _good_ days, she would switch from being furious to being absolutely weepy.

He didn't want to admit it, but Natsu wasn't sure he knew how to handle it well.

When he came home from getting something she needed, Lucy would thank him coldly before walking to the bedroom and closing the door gently behind her. Because he wasn't sure how to open the door without accidentally setting her off, he usually spent the rest of the day on the sofa or at the guild, hoping it would give her time to cool down enough to not hate him. Erza had advised him to surprise her with little gifts sometimes, which he did, but ultimately, Lucy was still in her seventh month of pregnancy and thus, only forgiving for a moment.

It was truly a shock when he opened his eyes after a nap to see Lucy leaning over him, her eyes wet.

"Hey, hey," he said urgently, "what's wrong?" He sat up and placed his hands on either side of her face, wiping her eye bags with his thumbs.

"I don't know," Lucy answered, her voice quivering. "It's just that there's only two months of this left."

Natsu blinked, confused.

"Aren't you glad, though?" he asked, keeping his tone light and easy. "You were complaining so much about your back pains just earlier today."

"No, I know," she whispered, "but this baby… what if I'm not a good enough mom?"

As though it was the first time, Natsu's eyes widened at her words, her fears. For as long as he knew her, Natsu was constantly trying to protect her from ever having to feel afraid, from ever having to doubt herself. He bowed his head, defeated that this was the one time he didn't know how to make her believe in herself. Still, he took a deep breath and looked up at her, his eyes determined.

"Lucy," he said, "this baby will be loved by us so much. I have no doubt we'll make great parents, and what's more is that you'll be an awesome mom."

"But how do you know that?"

"Call it a gut feeling," he said, smirking.

"A gut feeling that I'd be a good mom?"

"No," he whispered, causing her face to falter, "that you'll be an _amazing_ mom."

The blonde chuckled and pulled him closer, pressing their foreheads together. A hand reached for her belly and she smiled, her expression much more relaxed, the tears dissipated.

"Hear that, baby?" she said quietly. "Your daddy and I are going to love you so much."

"You're talking to it?" Natsu asked.

"Yeah, but only recently," she replied, "I want it to know my voice."

At countless points in his life, Natsu has been touched by a number of events. He understood happiness, sadness, loneliness, anger, and even such a complicated thing as revenge - though that was something he chose not to partake in. However, this moment where he watched his best friend rub her belly, where he watched her long lashes brush softly against the apples of her cheeks, _this_ was where his heart decided to capture his throat and make it close up. Unsuccessfully, he swallowed his nerves in the hopes that Lucy wouldn't notice.

She did, though.

"Natsu?" she called. "Are you alright?"

Nodding, he moved his head closer to her belly, his expression content.

"Can I speak to it, too?" Natsu asked, his voice the quietest it has ever been.

"Of course," Lucy answered.

It was the first time Natsu had felt so much affection and love for someone, and moreover, the child wasn't even born yet. Lucy giggled when he told their child lame jokes, though she would have rolled her eyes if they were younger and more naive. Every night from that moment, Natsu made sure she was extra comfortable on their bed and that her backaches weren't too unbearable. He brought her warm tea and helped her spread lotion across her belly, soothing her. He kissed the top of it too, before he turned out the light and wished her goodnight.

With each day, he grew even more loving of her and their child. It was new and different, but it was mostly a catalyst for Lucy to fall in love with him even more.

"Lucy," he whispered one night, "do you think I'll be a good dad?"

She smiled, her cheeks warm.

"No," she said, "you'll be an _amazing_ dad."

.

.

**MAY**

"There's so many people!" Lucy cried as she stepped into the guild. She identified faces that weren't very familiar amongst those she knew well and it almost seemed as though this baby shower wasn't even for her.

"Well, yeah," Levy said, "everyone in Magnolia knows you're pregnant, Lu-chan."

"I thought you were kidding!"

Certainly, the room was filled with men and women from all over Magnolia, and if Lucy looked closer, some of them didn't wear a guild mark. A few people were from the shops she normally went to with Natsu, and she smiled at the thought that they came to this baby shower for her sake. In each of their hands, they held presents for her. Erza was manning the gift table, thanking every guest courteously as they handed her their gift.

Going around the room with Levy, Lucy bade every single person hello and thank you before moving onto the next person whose eyes were bright with admiration. They each asked to rub her belly and asked her if she'd chosen a name yet, to which she smiled and responded that yes, she had two names in mind. As though _she_ were the child instead of the mother, these people cooed at her and ruffled her hair, telling her she will be a fantastic mother.

Hearing the compliment from Natsu was one thing, but to hear it from people who were almost complete strangers felt different, somehow. As though there was a very likely possibility that Natsu was right in the first place. That none of this was a _compliment_ for her, but rather, _encouragement. _

"Lucy!" Erza called after an hour. "It's time for your speech!"

"_Speech_?" Lucy sputtered.

"It's just a few words," Levy assured her.

"I didn't prepare anything, though!"

Every pair of eyes focused on Lucy as she was helped onto a platform by her blue-haired friend that reminded her of books and endless pages filled with stories. She was given one more encouraging smile before the entire room went silent, intent on hearing what she had to say. Lucy cleared her throat, the thundering in her heart impossibly louder than her voice. She took a deep breath and smiled warmly at the crowd, and they returned her gesture with even kinder and bigger smiles.

"Good morning, everyone!" Lucy started, her palms beginning to sweat. "I, uh, thank you so much! For coming today."

Almost in unison, the crowd noded and hummed at her. Although she was at a lost, Lucy merely had to look towards Natsu, who had just appeared at the entrance of the guild, watching her contentedly. He wore his mischievous grin - the one he always wore when they were younger - and instantly, Lucy felt calmer. Giving her husband a private smile, she felt as though she could breathe again. Everyone in the room smiled at her as she spoke of the adventures she embarked on in the last eight months, mentioning her husband as her rock and support. The crowd cooed at that, turning their heads to where Lucy was looking. Natsu lifted his hand and waved, his expression friendly.

"For the longest time," Lucy said, her tone a little more serious, "I didn't think I would be able to do this. I would do what any pregnant woman would do each day; feed myself and the baby healthy foods, sleep enough, put on enough lotion - I even started speaking to the baby in the hopes that it would recognize my voice after it was born."

She saw the corners of Natsu's lips lift.

"But," she said slowly, "none of that can compare to how supportive you all have been."

Caught off guard, the room collectively let out a tiny sigh of gratitude. Lucy smiled once more and felt her eyes brimming with tears. Before her hormones could take over again, she swallowed the sobs, reverting her attention back to Natsu, who at this point, had taken a few steps forward, immersing himself in the crowd. Lucy could still find him, though. She could always find him.

"Especially my husband," she whispered and the crowd cooed as they turned to look at him standing amongst them. "He has been incredibly strong for the both of us these last eight months, and I _admire_ him for being so patient with me."

She chuckled.

"I'm even more in love with him now than I was before."

At that, every single person in the room smiled warmly, except for Natsu. His face was a shade of pink that made it look like he had been running a marathon all day.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I hope that you'll accept this child into this community as you've accepted me when I was a newcomer."

"That's all thanks to Natsu," Erza said softly as she approached Lucy, her widest smile spread across her face.

"Everyone," Levy said from the middle of the room, "let's all raise our glasses to Natsu and Lucy!"

The blonde laughed when she heard her husband groan and mumble as he was pushed through the crowd, as though he was annoyed, but when he was faced with her, he smiled at her widely and joined her at the podium, kissing her forehead, then her lips. Every single person in the room applauded the couple, and Lucy quietly admitted to herself that it almost felt like their wedding night - everyone had been so supportive of her relationship with Natsu. Holding his face, she kissed his nose and nudged for him to look at the crowd. From where they stood, Lucy could see a few of them wiping at their eyes.

"Okay, guys!" Erza called. "Time for presents! Lucy, Natsu, come here."

Lucy shuffled her feet and began moving towards the gift table when Natsu's hand gripped hers tightly, squeezing her palm.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied, "but those things you said about me sure were nice."

"Well, good! They're true," Lucy chuckled.

Smiling at her, Natsu leaned in and brushed the tip of his nose against hers, meeting her eyes only when the warmth in his cheeks spread to his mouth, pulling up the corners of his lips.

"Lucy," he said, "you're so amazing."

"Huh?" she said, "What for?"

"For carrying our child," Natsu paused and took a short breath, "and for making me impossibly even more in love with you."

Lucy smiled.

"That's a bit mushy for you to say," she said, placing her hand on the nape of his neck.

"You being pregnant does things to me," he laughed.

Giving him a quick kiss, Lucy pulled his hand along and they walked towards the gift table where everyone waited patiently. While Erza and Levy helped her to tear open the presents, the guests - the men, to be more exact - asked Natsu how he dealt with Lucy being pregnant. They asked for insight on the mood swings, on the unusual eating habits (to which Lucy glared at them), and how at the end of the day, he _still_ wanted to be around her as much as he was.

"Take one day at a time," Natsu said, "you'll learn to love her even more that way."

At that, Lucy kissed the tip of his nose again and whispered a soft 'I love you,' causing shivers to run up his spine. Certainly, he had come to love her even more than he did just the day before.

.

.

**JUNE**

Lucy was four days late.

By the second day, her brain and emotions had snapped and Natsu was certain that if the baby didn't come soon, she would actually break something with her bare hands. She moaned about how uncomfortable her body was, how she wanted "this goddamn thing to get out of her," but as such, there was no luck. After dinner, Natsu always took her on long walks in the hopes that her water would break, but they would always come back and she would merely be breathing hard from the long distances.

It got to a point that Natsu had to sleep on the sofa - even for naps.

It was three in the morning when Natsu heard Lucy open their bedroom door, her breathing heavier than usual. He sat up immediately and his jaw fell open the slightest bit when when she tried to call his name.

"Lucy," he said, "what's wrong?"

"Water," she panted, "my water."

"What?"

"_The baby_," Lucy said, gritting her teeth.

In a frenzy, Natsu rushed throughout the house, opening and closing cupboards and making sure to grab whatever it was that they needed. Lucy sat by the sofa and called the hospital, trying to breathe quickly to help alleviate some of the pain. It was a good thing that the hospital was nearby that they didn't have to find a vehicle, because Natsu being nauseous was not a good idea right now.

With whatever strength it was that Lucy had left, she mustered it all up as she pulled out one of her keys, her brow scrunched. Her hand shook as she called forth one of the spirits beyond their gate and her body almost gave out. Natsu quickly caught her and helped her up, while Holologium opened up his glass door.

"Make sure she can't feel you moving," Natsu said.

The large grandfather clock nodded as the glass door closed, Lucy leaning her back against a corner.

Silence filled the streets of Magnolia as they rushed to the hospital, Natsu's vision becoming clouded from a lack of sleep. He fought to stay focused, to stay awake - he wanted to be there with Lucy and he certainly wanted to be there for their child. The first person, apart from Lucy, to hold the little baby had to be Natsu - he was the father, after all.

"Natsu-san," Holologium said, his speech tick mostly gone, "are you nervous?"

Insecurities filled his mind as he remembered the first time he felt Lucy's baby bump, or the first time she had a real mood swing, or when they both doubted their skills as parents - even when he tried to imagine raising a child when he himself had lost his father. Beyond that though, he could see their child's smile - a large one, like his - and he wanted nothing more than to make sure that smile was never wiped away.

"No," he replied, "not at all."

While the doctors performed one final checkup on Lucy before she was sent to the delivery room, Natsu called Mirajane, Wendy, Erza, and Levy. In turn, they called Gray and Juvia, and before long, the whole guild was waiting outside the hospital, with only a few people with Natsu in the waiting room. Happy followed Natsu as he paced back and forth, waiting anxiously for the doctor to call on him.

"Natsu," Erza said, "she'll be fine."

"What if something goes wrong? She needs me."

"And she'll tell them that. Just be patient."

After what felt like centuries, a nurse came from the delivery room and beckoned Natsu to come closer. He could hear the whispers of the guild behind him, how they were wishing him luck, how they wished Lucy an easy birth.

"Mr. Dragneel," the nurse said, "we've prepared for the procedure. Please come in."

"Remember to breathe, Natsu!" Happy said as he patted his best friend on the shoulder.

"We'll be waiting out here," Mirajane added, her warm smile surprisingly comforting and for once not condescending.

Lights blinded Natsu's vision and every corner of the room was sterile white. His eyes focused to the blonde woman in the middle of the room, whose forehead was sheathed in sweat as she breathed her hee-hee-hoos. Quickly, Natsu moved to her side and held her hand in his, rubbing circles into her skin with his thumb.

"Natsu," she whispered, "you're here."

"Always am, Lucy," he said back, his throat clogging up.

Her contractions were much closer now, causing her to arch her back in pain and her grip on him became tighter, more painful. Natsu remembered when Lucy couldn't even _hurt_ him, and here he was, feeling as though the bones in his hand were slowly collapsing. Lucy's face was contorting into expressions he'd never seen her wear before, and slowly, tears fell out of the corners of her eyes.

She let out a scream, though it was still constrained.

"Mrs. Dragneel, we're starting now," the doctor said as she positioned herself before Lucy. "You have to start pushing."

Talking her through her pain, Natsu couldn't even begin to imagine the pain Lucy felt. She was someone strong, someone who never showed her tears, no matter how painful things got. Her voice was strangled as she gritted her teeth, trying to push out their child without giving in to the pain she was being caused. The nurse handed Natsu a rag and he wiped at her forehead, pushing back her hair. She looked up at him and her eyes were filled with tears, her mouth set in a hard line that told him she was in pain.

"Lucy," he said, "you are strong. Your baby is waiting to see you because it knows you are so strong."

"Natsu…" she whispered.

"You can do this," he replied, shifting to hold one of her knees to help her push.

"Mrs. Dragneel, you're going to have to push harder. The baby is coming out very slowly."

Though the tears in her eyes didn't stop flowing, Lucy pulled herself up a little and placed a hand on Natsu's shoulder for support. With a free hand, he pushed back her hair to make sure it didn't get in her eyes and suddenly, her screams were louder than he had ever heard. He watched her in awe, in fear, in absolute pain that she was going through this pain and it was all for the sake of someone about to be born, someone else she would love unconditionally.

_You're truly amazing_, Natsu thought as he averted his gaze to the child being pulled out of her.

"Congratulations," the doctor whispered, a smile on her face, "it's a girl."

Lucy's head fell backwards as she panted, her breathing finally slowing down. Her eyes searched for their child, her expression exhausted and yet somehow, absolutely content. Natsu moved closer to her face, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Where's Ohana?" she asked.

"They're just cleaning her up," he whispered.

"Thank you," she said after a moment.

"You don't have to thank me."

"You've been so patient with me."

Natsu smiled as her hand wrapped around his.

"I'd do anything if it meant being with you."

A sharp cry was heard from their daughter as the nurse brought the child to them, her own expression jubilant. Lucy held her arms out and her face lit up as she looked at their daughter. Natsu smiled as the girl reached for her mother's finger, her tiny palms strong as she held on.

"She looks like you," Lucy said.

"No," he replied, "are you kidding? Look at those eyes. It's all you."

"She's got your hair," she chuckled.

"As long as she's got your face, it's okay."

After Natsu filled out forms for a birth certificate for Ohana, everyone else outside was allowed to see Lucy in the recovery room. They gave her flowers and candy, setting it on the table beside her. Mirajane and Erza were the ones who were especially taken with Ohana, with Levy right behind them. Natsu sat in a chair beside Lucy's bed and kissed her hand as everyone wished them congratulations, bidding them an encouraging 'good luck' in raising a child. Of course, they wouldn't be alone.

The whole of Fairy Tail was with them, after all.

When everyone left to go home and rest, Natsu rested his head against Lucy's hand.

"You should sleep," he said.

"You too."

"I'm fine, I'll watch her."

Lucy sniffled and sighed before she spoke. "She's so beautiful."

"No doubt about it."

Averting his eyes to look at her, Natsu smiled.

"No wonder people always say mothers are infinitely strong."

"Hmm?" Lucy said.

"Your threshold for pain… I don't know anyone other than you that is that strong."

He moved to kiss her forehead and she smiled, placing her hands on the nape of his neck. Leaning down, Natsu smiled as she returned the gesture, her lips soft and warm as it made contact with his clammy forehead.

"She'll love you more than me," he said.

"That's not true."

"You're her mother."

"And you're her father," Lucy replied, "who do you think is going to beat up anyone who hurts her?"

They both chuckled at that and Natsu sat back down in the chair beside Lucy's bed. She threaded her fingers through his hair softly, touching his scalp in the way only she could, in the way he loved. They watched their tiny daughter sleeping, her small chest rising and falling. They were parents from this day forward.

And they were going to be _fantastic_ parents.


End file.
